After dropping No Label 2 and Rich Nigga Timeline last year, Migos have spent the months leading up to YRN The Album sharing their music in a more haphazard, less organized fashion. Plenty of this is due to album delays (and consequently Offset's continued presence in jail), as well as the usual leaks that have plagued patrons of various Atlanta studios this year.
Outside of one official single, "One Time," the rest of the various 2015 tracks that have seen the light of day are ostensibly loosies, as the group hasn't revealed whether or not they'll be included on the album. Along with that comes varying degrees of quality, so we've taken the time to boil down the trio's recent offerings into five essentials, ranked by their quality.
Note: none of the group's recent guest appearances are included. If they were, French Montana & Chris Brown's "Moses" might top the list.
I Just Wanna
Included on a Trap-A-Holics tape, "I Just Wanna" pairs Migos with an austere synth line that's far cry from the colorful Zaytoven production they usually favor. Instead, a heartless sonic backdrop accompanies some of their darker lyrics to date, although there are still wildly ridiculous metaphors throughout. Hopefully YRN The Album will see them branching out into more varied territory like this.
Pretty Little Lady
Romantic Migos is a side of the group we rarely get to hear, but when we do, it's usually pretty great. "Pretty Little Lady" follows up underrated cuts like "What You Doin," and has the group waxing poetic about a woman who's "thick and grown with no babies" over some slick Deko production. Since this was shared on the group's official SoundCloud, it's likely that this could show up on the album.
Goin Down
Migos offering an update on Yung Joc's "It's Going Down" is already pretty unlikely, but the fact that it's a banger is even crazier. Flipping the hook into "Meet me in the trap, I'm having pounds," the trio bring the mid-2000s hit into the present with jubilant Zaytoven production and trap lingo. In contrast with Joc's original, Migos don't fool us into thinking that it's going down everywhere-- instead, they stay in their comfort zone.
Conversation
Another romantic Migos cut? With slow jams this good, maybe the trio can find a second career as an R&B group called Trappers II Men? All jokes aside, "Conversation" is better than anything Breezy, Trey Songz or August Alsina have released in the past two years-- that is, if you like your R&B decidedly lean-drenched and lustful. Now that Rich Gang have gone their separate ways and Future's gone from Mr. Ciara to Mr. "I did 56 broads on the European tour and they was all crazy," Migos could become the game's leading R&LEAN artists.
One Time
Although it's the obvious pick as the one official single to date, "One Time" is also the smart choice, as it has the most potential to be a hit (and a video featuring "Workaholics" actor Blake Anderson). Like all of the best Migos tracks, this song's hook is simple and to-the-point, liable to get stuck in your head after just one listen. What's more, Deko comes through with yet another enticing beat, this one a little more restrained than his others, and everyone tacks on solid verses.